TWO out of three businesses will become the victims of some kind of cybercrime this year, warns a specialist in data security.
The world economy now loses more than £740 billion every year to cyber criminals, the latest research reveals – an increase of 50% in only three years.
Thousands fall victim to a range of attacks. Now Tony Capewell, of IT support company Your Cloud Works, is urging employers to check and increase their levels of IT security.
“Business owners and managers round here understandably do not like to talk about it when they have suffered some kind of breach,” Mr Capewell said. “And that is why few people realise just how much cybercrime is affecting businesses here.
“No one can know for sure but it is a safe bet that two in every three businesses will suffer some kind of cyberattack in the year ahead.”
Cyberattacks affecting local businesses include:
- Phishing Where a criminal sends an email pretending to be someone else. Often this is an attempt to steal money, such as sending a real invoice with altered bank account details
- Spoofing A fake website designed to look like a real one. They want you to enter card details
- Ransomware Where your files are encrypted until a ransom is paid to recover them
- Malware: Malicious software that does damage to your system.
Mr Capewell said: “We have been warning our clients for years that it only takes one person, to click on one link from one bad email and damage can be done. It really is that easy. And with so many businesses round here likely to be affected this year, business leaders should check their levels of protection right now.
“They need what is known as a blended security option, combining appropriate software with excellent staff training.”
…………
